


What comes after a fall

by DragonReine



Category: DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Anime, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 19:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2479244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonReine/pseuds/DragonReine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>At one point, however, he had glanced over his shoulder to make sure Clear didn't manage to lose track of him, just in time to see Clear step into a beam of sunlight that filtered through the trees, making the fine white hair on his head glow like a brilliant, gold-edged halo. </p>
  <p>Clear saw that he was looking back, and gave Mink one of his bright, guileless smiles that seemed to light up his entire face, pink eyes sparkling with joy. </p>
  <p>The combined effect had stopped Mink's thoughts in their tracks, seized by the sudden realisation that Clear was <i>beautiful</i>. </p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	What comes after a fall

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place at some undefined point after the end of the anime. In my version of things, Clear had at some point run off to find Mink, initially for Aoba's sake, but eventually ended up staying with him instead.
> 
> There is nothing at all explicit here; not even a kiss. I guess you can call it pre-slash of sorts? It's a bit tooth-rotting in some parts, a bit sad in other parts, but hopefully you'll get a warm and fluffy feeling from reading this! 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the story!

It wasn't even particularly rough terrain, just a thicker part of the forest where the trees tend to grow raised roots. Mink had been guiding Clear through it, pointing out various herbs and fungi that his people used in medicines.

A simple enough task, one he can do in his sleep, especially since Clear was observant and enthusiastic about learning, even if he stumbled around like a drunken colt. 

At one point, however, he had glanced over his shoulder to make sure Clear didn't manage to lose track of him, just in time to see Clear step into a beam of sunlight that filtered through the trees, making the fine white hair on his head glow like a brilliant, gold-edged halo. 

Clear saw that he was looking back, and gave Mink one of his bright, guileless smiles that seemed to light up his entire face, pink eyes sparkling with joy. 

The combined effect had stopped Mink's thoughts in their tracks, seized by the sudden realisation that Clear was  _beautiful_. 

Unfortunately, while his mind had halted, his feet did not, and one of them caught on a thick root. 

Mink couldn't compensate his balance in time, even as his body twisted in subconscious reaction. There was a flash of tearing pain in his ankle, followed immediately by a bone-jarring impact as his body hit the ground.

Mink lay for a moment on his back, not so much stunned by the fall itself, but by the fact that he had managed to  _trip_ in the land of his ancestors, which he knew as well as the back of his hand. 

" _Mink-san!_ " There was a rustle of leaves and branches snapping, and then Clear's face moved into his field of vision. "Mink-san, are you all right?"

He blinked up at the worried expression, before frowning slightly. "I'm fine." He allowed Clear to kneel down beside him and help him move up to a sitting position, his thoughts turned inward and accessing his body for damage.

No sensation of broken bones, although there would be some mild bruising where his shoulder and upper arm took most of his weight. His head had not hit the ground particularly hard, so no worries there. 

His ankle, however...

He yanked off his boot, and it was immediately apparent that the ankle was sprained, badly, even if the sharp throbbing pain had not told him that; there was already a visible amount of swelling beneath the skin.

"Ah." Clear said with a wince. "That looks very bad."

Mink hummed in agreement, drumming his fingers lightly over the injury. This was a problem; Mink had doubts that he could even stand on it, much less walk, and they were quite a distance away from the cabin.

He let out a sigh of irritation. Damn his clumsiness. All because he let himself be distracted by a white-haired robot in ill-fitting clothes. He could practically hear his elders rolling in their graves, laughing at him.

"You will have to help me up," Mink said. "It's torn; I won't be able to walk very well."

"Uhm." Clear blinked at him. "All right..."

There was a note of hesitation in Clear's words. Mink narrowed his eyes at him. "What is it?"

"I... uh..." Clear fidgeted, his gaze dropping, gloved fingers twisting in his lap. "Do you trust me, Mink-san?"

Mink stared at Clear's face, watching the faint blush blooming on his cheeks. "You wouldn't even be here if I didn't," he said flatly.

Mink didn't think it was possible, but Clear turned even redder. "Oh." Teeth worrying at his bottom lip, Clear peered up at him through his lashes. "I have thought about it, and I believe I may have a better way to help Mink-san, if you are willing to let me do it."

...

Gods help him, this was getting sillier by the minute. While he thought that Clear's formal politeness was endearing most of the time, there were times like these where he wished Clear wasn't so damned  _Japanese_ about doing things. "Just say it already."

"I think it would be much better if I showed you instead."

And then, before Mink could react (he just barely managed to tighten his grip on his boot), there were a pair of arms sliding under his armpits and his knees, and he was suddenly hoisted  _effortlessly_ up into the air.

Mink sucked in a surprised breath, half-expecting to be dropped, but the hands holding him only gripped more firmly, steadying him in Clear's arms.

"Ah..." Clear smiled faintly at him. "I do not think it would be wise for you to put any weight on that foot, Mink-san, not when you are clearly in pain. At least this way, I can take you home quickly, and we can start treating that ankle."

Mink stared at Clear, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. Mink was far from small and slim; even amongst his people, he had been considered one of the taller, more imposing men. Compared to him, Clear was almost delicate, being of rather average height and build.

But right then, Mink came to the abrupt realisation that Clear, despite all appearances, was far stronger than any man of his size had the right to be. Despite Mink's bulk, he could feel that Clear was standing firm and steady, showing no sign of strain whatsoever. He had been aware if it, ever since he'd seen Clear fight, but this was the first time where he  _knew_ for sure that if the two of them were to fight with their full strength, Mink would not survive the encounter. 

It forcibly reminded him that Clear, the gentle, shy and easily flustered being he had allowed into his home, was still a robot, one of Toue's inhuman creations.

Which was why Clear had been so hesitant earlier, he realised, looking at the pale, slightly terrified expression on Clear's face. Because between the two of them, the one most terrified of Clear's non-human origin was Clear himself.

Mink sighed, forcing his heart to calm down. "Well?"

Clear blinked, taken aback. "Mink-san?"

"Is there something on my face?" Mink asked drily. "You've done nothing but stare at me so far."

Clear gaped at him, eyes rounding in shock. "You're not a... angry?" 

 _Given the hesitant tone of your voice, I suspect the word you're actually about to say was "afraid"._ Mink clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I already told you that I trust you, didn't I? Why would I be angry?" Mink shifted, slinging his arm over Clear's shoulders to further steady himself. "Are we done? I would like to return home at some point during the day, preferably before sunset."

Clear's face had softened with Mink's words, and the expression he currently wore was...

The first word that came to mind was  _adoration_. 

Mink raised a brow in inquiry, and Clear blinked, his eyes suspiciously moist-looking, and he beamed, as bright and cheerful as before. "All right, Mink-san. Hold on tight. Let me know if you feel uncomfortable."

Clear started walking, as light-footed and brisk as ever, carrying Mink as if he weighed nothing at all. It's a strange sensation, to trust someone who was actually stronger than he was. Mink found that he didn't mind as much as he thought he would. It was almost comforting.

"Mink-san?"

"Hm?"

Clear's voice was quiet, but Mink could hear the sheer amount of emotion behind it when he spoke. "Thank you."

Mink sighed and pressed his face into Clear's shoulder, breathing in the strange, almost odorless scent of him. 

 _That should be my line_ , he thought, but didn't say out loud.


End file.
